I’m Gwen Outen with the VOA Special English Agriculture Report.
Carrots are grown on farms and in small family gardens throughoutthe world. They are easy to raise and easy to harvest. They have apleasing taste. And, they contain a lot of carotene which the bodychanges into Vitamin A.
When people think about carrots, they usually create a mentalpicture of a long, thin, orange-colored vegetable. But, carrots comein many different sizes and shapes. And not all carrots are orange.
For example, Paris Market carrots are about five centimetersaround. Imperator carrots are thin and about twenty-five centimeterslong. And Belgian White carrots are white.
For the best results, carrots should be grown in sandy soil thatdoes not hold water for a long time. The soil also should have norocks.
To prepare your carrot garden, dig up the soil, loosen it, andturn it over. Then, mix some dead plant material or animal waste. Donot add any additional chemical fertilizers.
Weather, soil condition, and age affect the way carrots taste.Experts say warm days, cool nights, and a medium soil temperatureare the best conditions for growing great tasting carrots.
Carrots need time to develop their full sugar content. This givesthem their taste. If they are harvested too early they will not haveenough sugar. However, carrots loose their sweetness if you wait toolong to remove them from the ground.
The best way to judge if a carrot is ready to be harvested is byits color. Usually, the brighter the color, the better the taste.
Most people do not know that carrots can be grown during thewinter months. If the winter is not cold enough to freeze theground, you can grow and harvest carrots the same way as you doduring the summer months.
If the ground does freeze in your part of the world, simply coveryour carrot garden with a thick layer of leaves or straw. This willprevent the ground from freezing. You can remove the ground coverand harvest the carrots as they are needed.
Carrots are prepared and eaten many different ways. They are cutin thin pieces and added to other vegetables. They are cooked bythemselves or added to meat in stews. Or, they are washed, and eatenjust as they come out of the ground.
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This VOA Special English Agriculture Report was written by BobBowen. I’m Gwen Outen.